Partner in Imagination
by Jenna Cassie Herdz
Summary: James takes the boys to Scotland for a holiday and to meet up with a long-time friend of his.
1. Packing and Leaving

**A/N:** Welcome to my Finding Neverland fic! can you tell i really LOVE Johnny Depp? anywho, i think it goes without saying that i don't own Finding Neverland. i hope i don't go OOC with any of the characters. enjoy!

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Chapter 1: Packing and Leaving

James hurriedly folded and packed his clothes into his suitcase, not bothering to flatten out wrinkles he made as he did.

"Uncle Jim! Uncle Jim!"

James spun around to see Michael racing toward him through the open doorway carrying his suitcase.

"My goodness, you're a strong lad, aren't you?" James smiled and knelt down to the boy's height. "All packed, are we?" He took the suitcase then frowned at it when he realized how light it was. He smiled and looked at the little boy. "Shall I help you, then?"

Michael only nodded and James stood, tousling the boy's hair a bit. The little boy skipped ahead of him down the hall and into the boys' room.

"Ow! Jack! I'll get you for that!"

"Peter! Grab hold of his legs!"

"I'll do it! I want to help!"

"No Michael!"

"Well, this room is a mess, isn't it?" James smiled and the boys froze as they looked at him.

"But it was Jack's fault!" Michael insisted.

"I didn't do it!" Jack replied defensively.

"Well, perhaps it was everyone fault then, was it?" James smirked, walking into the room and setting the suit case on Michael's bed.

"Uncle Jim," Peter called, drawing his attention.

"Yes, Peter?" James asked.

"Where are we going?"

"I told you, lad. It's a surprise," James smiled. "A wonderful surprise. Now go on and finish packing while I get Michael situated, here."

"Why can't we know where we're going, Uncle Jim?" Jack wondered as Peter walked off to gather his clothing.

"Because then it wouldn't be a surprise," James replied, helping Peter pick up the clothes.

"Is grandmother coming with us?" George asked, folding some clothes on his bed.

"No, she can't, unfortunately."

"Why not?" George asked.

"She offered to housesit while we're away."

"How long will we be gone?" Jack wondered, opting to simply throw his clothes into his suitcase.

"A month or so," James replied, sorting out the clothes to figure out what belonged to whom. "Perhaps longer."

"How far away is it, Uncle Jim?" Michael wondered, simply standing next to his bed and watching James.

"Oh, far enough," he replied vaguely, walking toward each of the boys to hand them a piece of their clothing he had.

"Can I bring my journal with me, Uncle Jim?" Peter wondered and James leaned down with a smile.

"Of course ye can, boy," he replied, tousling his hair. "In fact, that reminds me…" He trailed off as he stood and headed down the hall again. The boys glanced at each other and devious smiles adorned their lips. They each picked up a pile of their clothes…

"Don't make another mess, boys!" James called from down the hall and the children looked around at each other in amazement. A moment later he came back into the room, his hands behind his back.

"George, Jack, Michael," he called and the three walked toward him as Peter only frowned, starting to pack again. "I've seen you three looking at Peter's journal in admiration, so I got you these." He pulled his hands from behind his back and held four leather bound journals in front of him. "For your own stories, lads."

The boys' faces lit up and each one grabbed a journal each. George flipped through the blue one, Jack hugged James for the red one and Michael examined the brown one, leaving a black journal in James' hands.

"Thank you Uncle Jim!" the three grinned and ran back to their beds to pack their new gifts in their suitcases. James smiled and stepped toward Peter, who was still packing and placed the new, black leather journal in front of the boy.

"When you fill the other one, you can start in this one," he smiled, tousling Peter's hair again and the boy looked up at him.

"Thank you," he smiled, his eyes alight as well. James patted his head and walked away to pack for Michael again as the little boy sat on his bed and flipped through the journal.

"I'll never fill this journal, I don't know how to write properly," he pouted as James folded the boy's clothes.

"Of course you can," James protested. "And if you need any help, you can ask me for it, alright?"

Michael nodded and smiled as he carefully placed his new journal in his suitcase.

"Will Porthos be coming with us, Uncle Jim?" George wondered.

"No," James sighed. "I'm afraid not. Poor dog can't stay away from home very long."

"Why don't we bring his home with us?" Michael asked.

"Oh, know, lad," James laughed. "We can hardly carry our own things as it is. Besides, it would be taxing a trip for the poor animal."

"How will we get there, Uncle Jim?" Jack wondered.

"By train," James replied, picking up a few more clothes from the floor.

"I've never been on a train before," Michael said.

"Me either!" Peter chimed in. "I've always wanted to go on a train."

"When are we leaving, Uncle Jim?" George asked, finally sealing his suitcase.

"Tomorrow morning," James replied, folding more clothes. "So I suggest you all get into bed on time, tonight. We'll be leaving quite early."

"How long will it take us to get there?" Peter wondered, sealing his own suitcase.

"I'm not sure," James replied with a thoughtful frown. "You never can tell with trains."

"Please, Uncle Jim, just tell us where we're going!" Michael pouted, tugging on the man's sleeve.

"Oh, yes, please!" Jack called, running to the writer and tugging on the other sleeve. George and Peter raced toward him as well, all four chanting "Please! Please!" as he looked around them in distress. He sighed in defeat as they still chanted and he turned to sit on Michael's disheveled bed.

"Alright, boys, settle down and I'll tell you," he smiled. The boys cheered and took positions around him. George and Jack sat on the floor in front of him while Peter sat next to him and Michael stood on his bed to throw his arms around the man's neck. James made a choking face that made all of them laugh.

"Well, boys," he began and cut to the chase. "We're going to Scotland."

"Scotland?" Michael echoed questioningly from behind him.

"Yes," James smiled over his shoulder. "That's where I was born. It's north of here and…" He looked around at the boys, coming up with a better idea. "Why don't I show you where it is?"

"Oh, please!" they all replied and James nodded.

"To the library then," he smiled, wrapping his arms around Michael's legs to keep the boy on his back as he stood. "I need an atlas."

"I'll race you there, Peter!" Jack grinned, jumping to his feet and shooting off and George and Peter darting off after him.

"No! Wait boys!" James called as he stood and hurried after them. "No running in the house!"

"Look at me! Look at me! I'm flying!" Michael called, holding his arms out at his sides. James suddenly couldn't control his inner-child. He grinned as he raced down the hall with Michael on his back, making the boy laugh.

"I'm flying!" Michael still called as James made a turn into the library, ducking low enough so as not to knock Michael's head on the door frame.

"We can't find the atlas, Uncle Jim!" Jack called as James entered. The three boys were at one end of the shelves that made up his library, and he let Michael down carefully as he walked toward one of the shelves.

"Let's see…" he murmured, a thoughtful finger on his lower lip. He scanned the spines of the books with his eyes until he found what he was looking for.

"Here it is, boys," he called and the five crowded around the table in the center where James opened the book and flipped through it. The four brothers watched as he searched for the page he wanted and when he reached it, he examined it for a moment.

"Alright," he began. "We are…here, in London." He pointed to a spot on the map. "And we're going this way…" He trailed his finger up the page until he came to another spot. "…We'll stop here, in Glasgow."

"Glasgow?" Peter echoed.

"What's in Glasgow?" George asked.

"That's where I went to school," James replied. "Glasgow Academy. I went there when I was only…" He looked around at the boys and pointed to Peter. "…_your_ age."

"Will we get to see plays in Glasgow?" Jack wondered as James closed the atlas and stood.

"Oh, I'm sure there will be lots of things to do when we get there," he replied, turning to the shelves and putting the book back where he found it. "Things to explore and people to meet."

"It'll be a fantastic holiday!" George grinned to his brothers.

"Yes, it should be," James smiled, heading back toward the boys. "And perhaps you'll get to meet some of my old friends."

"You still have friends there?" Peter wondered as James knelt down to put Michael onto his back again.

"Oh, yes," he smiled, struggling to keep the boy on his back for a moment. "There is one person I write to all the time."

"Who?" Michael asked, his little arms around James' neck.

"You'll meet her when we get there," he replied. "You would like her. She's a dancer."

"A dancer?" Jack echoed and James nodded.

"A ballet dancer," he smiled, leading the boys down the hall. "She wrote to me not too long ago saying she would be in Glasgow for a while. She's visiting from France. She had to take a _boat_ to get there."

"What's her name?" George asked.

"What's she like?" Jack wondered.

"Will she like us?" Peter chimed in.

"Is she pretty?" Michael piped up. James looked around at the boys and smiled at them as they all reached the boys' room.

"Her name is Hannah," he replied, looking at George then he looked at Michael over his shoulder. "I haven't seen her in some time, but I'm sure she's very pretty." He looked at Peter and said, "I'm sure she'll like you." Lastly, he turned to Jack with a warm smile. "She's not unlike your mother was."

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_The next morning..._

"Come on along, boys," James called, his suitcases in hand as they all hurried across the platform. The boys hurried behind him with their own suitcases as the steam from the train billowed into all their faces.

"I can't see!" Michael called from behind. James slowed to let George catch up to him.

"You lead the way, alright?" he asked him, handing him one of his suitcases. "Go on, then."

George nodded and led their way hurriedly across the platform as James rushed to Michael.

"Alright, lad, come on," he said, picking the boy up around the waist with his free arm the little boy clutching his own suitcase. He hurried to catch up with Jack who was behind Peter.

They came to the entrance of the train as the conductor called, "All aboard!" He looked at the three boys who'd gotten there first. "Tickets please."

"I've got them," James called, coming up with Michael and setting him back down. He rummaged into one of his pockets and handed his tickets to the conductor who punched holes in each one then stood aside to let the five onto the train. James sighed in relief once he and the boys were on the train. They headed down the isles, looking for their seats. James glanced at the tickets as he led the procession through the train, looking for the right number.

"Here we are," he announced and opened the door then urged the boys inside.

"Ooh! Look! We have a window!" Michael called, running into the room and staring out the window. The rest of the boys shuffled in to put their suitcases up above their seats. James put Peter's and Michael's suitcases up for them as the boys crowded around the window.

"You might want to sit down before the train starts, boys," James advised. "We'll be leaving in a few minutes."

The boys moved away from the window, and George sat with Jack and Michael as Peter sat next to James who took off his hat and sighed again.

"Uncle Jim, where will we stay when we get to Glasgow?" George wondered.

"I have a place where we can stay," James replied. "You just worry about all the fun you're going to have."

"I'm hungry, Uncle Jim," Michael said, holding his stomach.

"We'll get something from the dining car in a few moments," James smiled.

"May I have my journal, Uncle Jim?" Jack asked.

"Me too! Me Too!" Michael replied, forgetting his hunger.

"Alright, I'll get all of them for you," James nodded, and stood to look through the suitcases. The train gently started moving and James fell back into his seat as it did with a grunt. The children laughed as he glared at them comically. He shook his head as he stood again and turned to the shelves with their suitcases. He rummaged through them and gave the boys their journals and pens to use.

"What should we write about, Uncle Jim?" George asked and James and Peter looked at each other with smiles.

"Anything you'd like, George," James replied.

"Help me Uncle Jim, I can't write properly," Michael sulked and James smiled at him.

"Alright, lad," he said, holding his arms out. "Come here." He set the boy on his lap and helped him as the train gained speed for Glasgow.

**A/N:** well, did i do ok? reviews?


	2. The Train

_**Chapter 2: The Train**_

"Slow down, George!" James chuckled. "You'll make yourself sick!"

"He's not sitting next to me when we get back to our seat," Jack said, sitting next to him as he ate hurriedly. They had stayed in their seat until dinner, James had snacks for them to hold the boys off until then. Now they sat eating their dinner in the dining car, the only ones, in fact, in the dining car, aside from the woman diagonally across the isle from them.

"We'll stuff him in a suitcase!" Michael laughed and James only shook his head as the children joined him.

"Yes, I'll have the salmon."

James frowned at the voice across the isle. Something about the Scottish accent was vaguely familiar, almost as if it were a distant memory.

"Would you like some wine with that, Mum?" the waiter asked.

"Oh, no, just water thank ye, lad," the voice replied. James chanced a look at the seat across the isle to see the waiter heading away and a pretty woman sitting by herself, looking out the window to her right. Her slightly curly, auburn hair fell down her back around her shoulders with half pinned up in a small bun. James wanted so much to see her face, and as if she'd read his mind she slowly turned her head to face him. His eyes widened when they met water blue eyes and pouting pink lips that slowly formed a smile as the eyes lit up.

"James Matthew Barrie!" she grinned, drawing the boys' attentions as James only continued staring at her.

"Uncle Jim?" Peter questioned as the two adults stared at each other.

"Hannah Alyssa Paine," James breathed in astonishment. She stood and stepped toward him and the children. She waited for him to introduce her to the boys but he only stared at her. She looked at the boys then back at him and realized she'd have to break him from his trance.

"Aren't you going to introduce me to these nice young men with you, James?" she wondered and James shook himself from his shock.

"Oh, of course," he sputtered and turned to the boys, introducing them one at a time. "These are the Llewelyn Davies boys. This is George, the oldest. Next to him is Jack and next to me are Peter and Michael."

"So _you_ are Sylvia's boys!" Hannah grinned and sat herself in the small place on the edge of the seat next to Jack. "You all are handsome, aren't you? James has told me a lot about you."

"Boys," James continued with a small smile. "This is Hannah Paine. She's the friend I was telling you about."

"You told them about me, James," Hannah smiled, sweetly. "I'm honored to be mentioned at all. You're always so busy in your head."

"Of course I mentioned you," James replied then decided to change the subject. "How is it you're traveling on this train?"

"Oh, I took a boat from France to London and found myself a train back to Glasgow," she explained. "I had no idea you were going to be on this train either. I'm glad to see you before we arrived in Glasgow."

"As am I," James smiled.

"Are you really a dancer?" Peter chimed in, drawing their attentions.

"Aye," Hannah nodded. "I just finished my schooling in France and decided to go back home for a while."

"Won't you eat with us?" Michael pleaded and Hannah looked at him and was about to reply when she looked at James.

"If it's alright with James and your brothers," she smiled and all eyes turned to James.

"Well, it seems I have no choice but to say yes, do I?" he smiled, taking a sip of water and the children giggled. When the waiter arrived with her food the group quickly guided him to their table where he left her food.

"So, how is Sylvia?" Hannah wondered, starting at her food. There was a silence that followed the question and Hannah frowned as she looked at them. The boys' eyes were cast down, faces long and she looked at James as he glanced around at the boys with a bit of a long face as well. "Have I said something wrong?"

"I hadn't gotten a chance to tell you yet," James began explaining softly. "Sylvia…passed some time ago."

Hannah's eyes grew round in shock and embarrassment and she looked around at the boys in guilt.

"Oh, boys," she breathed. "I'm so sorry! Forgive me, I had no idea."

"It's alright," George replied in a low voice for his brothers. "Of course you didn't know."

"How?" was all Hannah could muster.

"Cancer of the lungs," James replied in the same low voice. Hannah looked to him as he gazed at his food for a moment and when he looked up at her again, she saw it in his eyes. She straightened slightly and looked back at the boys.

"My deepest sympathy, lads," she murmured. "I know what it feels like to lose your parents." There was a brief pause before she broke in again. "You live with James, now?"

"Uncle Jim," Jack corrected. "Yes. He and our grandmother take care of us."

"And how is your grandmother taking that?" Hannah wondered with a small smile. "From what I've heard she's not really fond of your Uncle Jim."

James gave her a look as the boys chuckled and she only took a bite of her food.

"Grandmother can be a bit like Captain Hook," Michael giggled and Peter looked at his younger brother incredulously but the boys couldn't help bursting into laughter.

"Captain Hook?" Hannah frowned and looked at James.

"From my play," he replied and Hannah nodded.

"Oh, I wanted to see it while I was in London, but I didn't have time!" she complained then turned to the boys. "Is it as wonderful as I've heard it is?"

"Better," Peter grinned. "It's magnificent!"

"Smashing!" George cheered.

"Brilliant!" Jack chimed in.

"It was so wonderful, I wanted to see it again!" Michael said.

Hannah giggled and looked at James who only smiled at the boys.

"I suppose you won't give yourself as much credit as you deserve," she murmured as the boys conversed among themselves, telling each other their favorite parts of the play. "You never do."

"It would be ungentlemanly of me to be so arrogant," he smirked, knowing she knew him all too well.

"A gentleman, eh?" she smiled. "I've forgotten what Scottish gentlemen looked like."

James laughed and their attention was drawn to the boys again when they asked what his favorite part was.

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_After dinner..._

James and Hannah both still sat in the dining car, the boys there as well, asleep in their seats. It was getting dark, and people had come and gone from the car as the two just talked and talked until the children fell asleep and after that, they still talked. They spoke of their time apart, and everything they hadn't mentioned in their letters.

"You haven't mentioned how Mary is doing," Hannah said, a bit reluctantly. James cast his eyes down as he fiddled with his glass of water. Her smile dropped slowly as she looked at him and she tried to catch his eye. "I've said something wrong again, haven't I?"

"No," he replied in a low voice as he shook his head slightly, but he didn't elaborate. Realization dawned on her and she continued hesitantly.

"Is she…well?" he wondered cautiously and James shrugged. She glared at him and sat back in her seat, making him look up at her. "I hate it when you do that."

"What?" he asked honestly.

"Shrug it off as if I don't realize that I hit a soft spot," she explained, still glaring at him and now crossing her arms over her chest. James cast his eyes down again with a small smile.

"You know me too well," he mumbled. This made Hannah smile as well and she leaned forward again.

"What happened?" she asked and his smile dropped as he sighed.

"Sylvia," he replied and Hannah's smile fell as well. "Mary didn't like the time I spent with her. She left me."

"Oh, James---"

"No condolences, please," he requested, waving it off. "I'm fine."

"Is that why you went quiet when I mentioned her?" Hannah couldn't help but smirk and James gave her a slight glare.

"I have the boys," he said, gazing over Peter and Michael sleeping and he smiled. "They make me fine."

Hannah glanced over at Peter and Michael then George and Jack and smiled as well then said, "I'm glad you're happy." Her smile dropped slowly and she looked at her own glass of water as she mumbled, "At least one of us is."

James shot his attention to her but she didn't look at him as he wondered, "You're not happy?"

Hannah glanced at him and shook her head slightly. He leaned forward and touched one of her hands gently.

"I thought dancing would make me happy," she began, glancing at his hand on hers. "It did when I was younger, but ever since my parents died… I found myself becoming clumsy on my feet. And when you left…" She trailed off when she looked up at him and he gently stroked his finger over her hand. "I was lost after everything had happened." She looked down at her water again and James pulled his hand away glancing at the boys.

"We should get back to our seats," he whispered and Hannah glanced at the boys as well then nodded. He tapped Peter awake and pulled Michael into his arms to carry him back to the seat as Hannah woke up George and Jack. They all shuffled to James and the boys' seat and James put them in their seats then turned to Hannah as she stood in the doorway.

He stood in front of her in the doorway and asked, "May I escort you to your seat."

Hannah smiled and nodded and he turned to George who was getting comfortable to fall asleep.

"Will you watch them for a few moments, George?" he wondered and the boy nodded. James turned back to Hannah and offered his arm which she took with a small smile. They walked through the train, both silent, not knowing what else to say. When they reached her seat they stopped at the door before going in.

"Thank you, kind sir," she smiled playfully and James smiled.

"I'm glad we ran into you here," he murmured. "I was hoping to see you sooner than our arrival in Glasgow."

"As was I," she smiled then gazed down at her hands as she twiddled her thumbs. "Perhaps, we could meet for brunch tomorrow?"

"I'm sure the boys would be delighted," James smiled and Hannah looked up at him with a smile. "I would be delighted to have you there as well." He took one of her hands and placed a gentle kiss on her knuckles. "I missed you."

Hannah's eyes widened at him but he only smiled, making her smile back and she whispered, "I missed _you_." She gazed down at their hands. "I never cared for…anyone else the way I cared for you."

James gazed at her for a moment and she finally looked back up at him with a quick smile.

"I'll see you at brunch, then?" she sighed and James nodded. "I'll meet you there."

He nodded again in approval and before she stepped into the small cabin to sit she gave him a quick peck on the cheek then slid through the door. James stood there, stunned for a moment but quickly headed back to his seat. He quietly slipped into the small cabin and sat, finally able to take in what had happened. Touching his cheek where Hannah had kissed him, he couldn't help the smile that came to his lips.

_I never cared for anyone else the way I cared for you._

Her words rang in his ears and he looked out at the darkened scenery of night that passed by the train window as a shooting star flew across the sky, and he could have sworn he saw Tinkerbell on the sill outside.

"Maybe it's all been leading up…to this…to _her_?"

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**A/N:** cutsey-ness. couldn't help it. reviews?


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